Micro Python Preps for Mass Production

Micro Python is priming the presses. After smashing its Kickstarter funding goal, the programming platform is almost ready to release its boards into the public market.

Micro Python is priming the presses. After smashing its Kickstarter campaign, the programming platform is almost ready to release its Micro Python boards into the public market.

Python is known for its ease of use and simplistic style. Although the programming language got its start in the early 1990s, it is still one of the most popular technology tongues used today. It's no wonder that, when word got out that Python was marrying the microcontroller, everyone RSVPed.

Damien George launched his Kickstarter campaign last fall for the Micro Python project, looking to raise £15,000 ($25,600) in funding. By December 2013, the campaign proved wildly successful, and Python enthusiasts dished out ₤97,803 to support the production of the software and microchips. And it's no wonder; it's a pretty wicked mini computer.

The Micro Python board is based on the STM32F405 microcontroller. It comes ready for Python programming and is one of the fastest on the market, running 168 MHz, with 1 MiB Flash and 192 KiB. The board measures up at 33 mm x 40 mm, and with top-of-the-line processing speed and storage, it can handle complex scripts and functions, too.

Micro Python board.
(Source: Kickstarter)

The Micro Python board has a built-in interface for USB and functions much like a storage device. Programmers can write their Python scripts directly on to the battery-operated board, and once stored, the Micro Python board will function entirely independent of a PC.

Yes this is for me the true Python to embed. The community of Python developers that are working on the sofware are truly awsome.

However I missed another Kickstarter with Spark which I like and had to buy from CPC/Farnell when it when mass production. Internet enabled at chip level brings the inetrnet of things a bit closer to the DIY projects.

I suspect that Dameon George the MicroPython owner might be open to a Blog on EE-Times and who knows ther might be a sample for Max if it got a good feed back?

I received my MicroPython board, too, but haven't had time to play with it yet. I'm interesting in comparing it against comparable boards (e.g. TI Connected LaunchPad, ST Nucleo, ST Discovery) and comparably priced boards (e.g. RPi, BeagleBone).

It's a cute board, but when you can get a RPi for $25/$35 and a BeagleBone for $45/$55, it becomes more of a niche board.

I think the real potential for MicroPython doesn't come from using the board, but from porting it to your own designs (e.g. a full custom design using a STM32F4), which should be possible since it's open source.